Last Updated on 14 July 2023 IST | Kanwar Yatra 2023: World Famous Hindu Kanwar Yatra festival continued this year after a two-year pause, with Kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva) taking to the streets during the holy month of ‘Shravan.’ According to the prevailing beliefs in the Hindu religion, the month of Shravan (Sawan) is very much liked by Shiva, but there is no evidence of this in the scriptures. As soon as the month of Shravan starts, thousands of Shiva devotees are seen doing Kanwar Yatra every year. The readers need to know whether the practice of Kanwar Yatra is according to the scriptures and whether there is any benefit from doing it or not?

Kanwar Yatra News 2023: Highlights

• The Kanwar yatra started on 4th July and will end on 15th July.

• ‘Kanwar Yatra is an arbitrary practice that can not please Lord Shiva
• How did Kanwar Yatra Start?

Kanwar Yatra 2023 Date

This year, the Kanwar Yatra started on the 4th of July and will last up until the 15th of July. It is falsely believed that Lord Shankar is pleased by performing Kanwar Yatra in the month of Sawan this month. Lakhs of devotees take out Kanwar Yatra to please Lord Shiva and get his blessings. It is believed that by doing this Lord Shiva fulfills the wishes of the devotees.

What is Kanwar?

Before starting the yatra, devotees reach a holy place with baskets placed on either side of bamboo wood. They return with Gangajal in these baskets. These baskets full of Gangajal are known as Kanwar. This Kanwar is carried on the shoulder during the yatra, this yatra is called Kanwar yatra, and devotees are called Kanwariya.

How did Kanwar Yatra Start?

It is said that Lord Parashurama was the ultimate devotee of Lord Shankar. It is believed that he first went to Pura Mahadev near Baghpat district with a Kanwar. He had performed Jalabhishek of Bholenath by taking water from the Ganga river from Garhmukteshwar. At that time it was the month of Sawan. Following this tradition, devotees started taking out Kanwar Yatra in the month of Sawan.

■ Read in Hindi | कांवड़ यात्रा (Kanwar Yatra): कांवड़ यात्रा की वह सच्चाई जिससे आप अभी तक अनजान है!

According to another belief, during the churning of the ocean (Sagar Manthan), a poison came out in 14 gems, then Lord Shiva protected the world by drinking the poison. But after drinking the poison, his throat turned blue and because of that, he is also called Neelkanth. It is said that the Jalabhishek of Lord Shiva was done to end the effect of the poison. The tradition of Kanwar Yatra started from there. According to another belief, to eliminate the poison effect, the gods had offered Ganga water to Shiva in the month of Shravan and the Kanwar Yatra started from then on.

Why do people go to Kanwar Yatra every year?

It is a popular belief that if you want to please Lord Shiva and get blessings from him, then you must do the Kanwar Yatra. It is said that by offering holy water of Holy Ganga on Shivling, Lord Shiva fulfills every wish of his devotees, but this method is against the scripture and there is evidence in the scriptures that whoever does not worship based on the scriptures and performs arbitrary practices, he/she does not get any benefit but experiences harm only.

What are the rules of performing Kanwar Yatra?

According to religious beliefs, devotees have to follow strict rules during the Kanwar Yatra because it is believed that Lord Shiva fulfills every wish of the devotee who follows the complete rules of the Kanwar Yatra. According to the rules, the devotees have to walk on foot during the entire journey. Travelers cannot consume meat and liquor during the Kanwar Yatra, they have to eat vegetarian food. Also, Kanwar should not be kept on the ground during the entire journey.

What are the benefits of Kanwar Yatra 2023?

If it is said according to the belief, that by doing the Kanwar Yatra one gets the benefits of “Ashwamegh Yagya”. The Kanwar pilgrims (Kanwariyas) walk hundreds of kilometers to bring the water of the River Ganga, during which crores of micro-organisms are crushed to death under their feet. It is said that during the rainy season, many micro-organisms come out of the burrows and come to the earth, in such a situation, if the kanwariya walks to earn benefit, but crores of micro-organisms die under their feet, whose sin is kept on their head. He had gone to please Shiva to earn benefits and brought the sin of killing crores of living beings on his head, which he’ll have to suffer separately. 

Let us tell you that there is no instruction of the Lord in any scripture to undertake the Kanwar Yatra every year in the month of Sawan. 

In this regard, Kabir Sahib has said:- 

Kabir, Paapi Mann Foolan Phirein Mein Karta Hoon Re Dharm |

Koti Paapkarm Seer Le Chala Chet Na Chinha Brahm ||

In the Gita, Vedas, and Puranas, there is no evidence of bringing Kanwar and offering Ganga water on Shivling. Even Lord Shiva is not pleased by performing arbitrary practices like Kanwar Yatra. This is the reason that every year Kanwariyas become victims of accidents, disasters, etc. According to the holy Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Ji, devotion to please Shiva, that is, the real mantra by which Shiva is pleased and gives benefits to the seeker  are told by Tatvdarshi saints and should be heard from them. At present, Satguru Rampal Ji Maharaj is telling the method of devotion certified by all the scriptures like Gita, Vedas, and others, due to which His devotees are getting great spiritual benefits.

Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj has Exposed the Reality of Kanwar Yatra 

Jagatguru Tatvdarshi Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj, while showing the difference between Kanwar Yatra, explains that there is no mention and order of Kanwar Yatra anywhere in the holy four Vedas and Holy Gita of the Hindu religion, due to which this arbitrary practice is useless. It has been clarified in Gita chapter 16 verses 23 and 24, that those who do arbitrary behavior do not get any benefit of worship nor do they get salvation, then it is clear that doing Kanwar Yatra is futile, and is against holy scriptures and blind faith is the cause of this devotion. To get complete information about scripture-based worship, download the Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj App.

FAQs about Kanwar Yatra 2023